A Child of Evil
by misty-chan
Summary: When a friend becomes an enemy, what would you do?


Hey  ^_^  misty here just to give you a little info that'll make the story go down easier. ^^  I didn't write this so you could follow it in your sleep, I hope it invokes thought in at least 5% of you =P~  I do have severe FF.net issues in that I can't ever get the story to post like I'd want it too. =\ But I hope it still reads fine =)  this is one of those times I vomited onto the paper at 2 am and that usually means it's a decent story. ^^  I love hearing what you think, flames are as welcome as the flamers who read it. ^_~   Enjoy!

**A Child of Evil**

"Hey, she'll come back," Ryo watched Shin futily scrape the remanants of nail polish off his nail.

                "I'm afraid to see her again."  He was distant the whole bus ride.

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                "Ryo! Shin!" Touma trotted up to them as they walked across the plaza. "Seiji's skippin' today. Said he had a dream 'bout sumthin' important." Ryo looked at him. Touma thought this was important and he knew why.

                "What -kind- of dream?" Shin tried not to listen as the two conversed on the way to class.

"Like, a premonition… He said it was like a flashback but with more scenes."

                "You think she-"

                "I think we'll see what he finds out tonight." Touma cut him off for Shin's sake. It's been two years since the troopers had to battle and they had no intention of starting something.

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                "Touma I know this is real." Seiji blankly stared at the book in his lap as he sat on his bed.

                "Why didn't you say something at dinner?" Touma set aside his homework for the conversation.

                "No one's ready to talk about her in front of Shin…"

                "Well, tell me about the dream." He moved to the edge of his bed so he could face Seiji.

                "She's watching over an army that. I think it's distracting us, but I can't see from what. Then she's right in front of me telling me to stop being where I'm needed." He leaned his head back and sighed. "But she does look different."

                "She said she did there…" Touma tried to decipher Seiji's puzzle.

                "I'll meditate more on it tomorrow, goodnight."

                "Yea, 'night." Touma turned out the light deciding thinking about the dream would be more engaging than the busy-work he was doing.

                "You're not as rusty as I am." Ryo spoke to Shin between pants as they trained in the cool night air. It always seemed easier to practice when lives didn't hang in the balance.

                "Then you should practice with me and Shu." Shin smiled at his friend's confession. "Woah.." Shin stopped during the bout as a Dynasty gate formed in front of the lake. They ran to it shocked but ready.

                "Rajura?!" Ryo was still on guard even though the warlords had tried to be quieter in the mortal realm. 

                He stepped onto the grass and gazed about. "I do forget the nights…" He took a deep breath and smiled at the two troopers. "I am a pawn once again." He took a letter from the sleeve of his mauve and gray kimono and handed it to Shin.

                "Is it bad?" Ryo watched him suspiciously.

                "I wouldn't believe so. The Dynasty air is not laced with conspiracy."

                "That's good news." Shin handled the letter but didn't look at it.

                "Then farewell." Rajura bowed slightly before returning through the gate.

"You gonna read it?" 

"Later, I'm kinda tired." Shin left Ryo standing there concerned.

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"G'morning." Shin waved as Touma dragged himself to the living room. The smell of bacon, biscuits and gravy, and juice drifted through the house and Shu was busy inhaling more than oxygen.

"Hey guys, Seiji outside?" Shu nodded. "Ryo?" another silent positive response and Touma began collecting breakfast from the table as Shin cleaned the kitchen. Touma barely noticed Shu taking bacon from his plate as he stared at it groggily. "Why Ryo?"

"He's practicing." Shin sat at the table as Shu spoke.

"Any news on the dream?" Touma shifted his stare to Shin's face, unable to think about why he would bring something up that could mean he'd have to fight or even see her again.

"I uh, don't think so." Shin sighed heavily at this response.

"It's probably nothin'. A flashback, or just a dream." Touma started beating Shu from his biscuits as he woke up.

"Mornin' guys!" Ryo called as he and Seiji entered the house. They both headed for showers after seeing everyone was awake.

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 "Psst, Shu!" Ryo tried to call him over from the table quietly.

"What's up?" they escaped Shin's gaze and talked softly.

"Have you seen that letter Shin got?

"Letter?" Shu watched him look around hurriedly.

"Yeah, from Rajura, a week ago?"

"No man, why?"

"I just thought it might have to do with Seiji's dreams."

"They're all the same… Let me in; what'd he say this morning?" They whispered like conspirators.

"Nothing new, still her.. just different words."

"Damn.." They went to pack for class and Shin and Touma exchanged glances as they tried to decide what the secret was and whether Shin knew, respectively. 

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Days kept going, college classes, practice, hanging out, the usual.

"Child," Naaza approached her in a hall.

"Yes, Masho?"

"Your peers are concerned by your sudden loyalty. Do you believe you have a chance at betrayal?"

"I have resigned myself to my fate."

"Resigned yourself to whom?" He couldn't catch her gaze.

"To my Lord Damien." She continued without shifting her eyes.

"I look forward to seeing your work then."

"Yes, Masho. Next week will be our finest yet."

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"Ryo, thanks for coming." Seiji offered the seat next to him in the small restaurant.

"No problem; what's going on?"

"Whatever my dreams are referring to is going to happen soon."

"Soon like..?"

"Within two weeks." Ryo wasn't pleased by the response, but Seiji was just as much so about the power of the dreams, or visions, whatever the case would prove to be. 

"And…her?"

"Yes, her. But, I feel like she's trying to help us." His friend's expression became more stern and he asked to know everything Seiji knew. "Every night she says the same thing, I'm in the wrong place. As though only I could make it work and everyone else should act oblivious.

"Do you remember what she said when she left?" The blonde looked to the table, unsure of his response. "'What I feel for you is real.' I think she's trying to protect Shin somehow."

"By splitting us up right before an attack? That's shady."

"Not if she's in control of it, you said she led the soldiers?"

"She's her own diversion.. of course!" He stood and ran out, muttering something about atonement.

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A hideous laugh echoed off the skyscrapers. Dynasty soldiers marched through the city and scattered the people before the police could mount a force. 

"Time to rock'n'roll!" Shu ran into the fight and was followed by his comrades. Shin wasn't so eager to follow and instead followed the voice. Atop a roof was a girl with short blonde and purple layered hair that curled out at the tips. She donned a simple armor and a single sword. He tried to keep his emotions from her knowing he might not be able to consciously hurt her.

Thoughts, memories, echoed in his ears. "Nice to meet you, I'm cute." "So they said.." "We'll start a club! 'Students against pet store cruelty to fish'!" "Hahaha!  Your cat's **a lot bigger than mine!" "Can I paint your nails? Just once? It'll be cool, not dorky." "I know you think I'm nice but I .. I'm just not a relationship king of girl.." "I didn't say a relationship.." "I meant it more like.. I have to leave soon." "But school.." "I can't explain." "Naaza?! What is this?!!" "Child, you hadn't told them?" "Shi.. I didn't.." "Just go!!" "Shin! She's our friend, Shin!!"**

He was nearly struck from his daze had Touma not hit the soldier first with an arrow. "You TRAITOR!!!!" He launched towards her leaving his tears in the wind. Soldiers closed around her after a motion and he beat them from his path effortlessly in his rampage. 

She looked from him to the others. Seiji wasn't there. She looked back in time to catch Shin's yari in a block before he ran her through.

"You lied to all of us!"

"I said nothing!" She found her charge difficult to defend against.

"We trusted you!" As surprised as she was by his rage, she somehow managed to not defer her concentration. 

"Not all of us made perfect choices!" She pushed him back. "Not all of us had that chance!!" He paused at the remarks then ran at her again.

"You were against us from the start!"

"No Shin!!" He managed to slice her calf and she had trouble moving from his attacks. "I'm not the demon you're hunting!"

"Then show me her! She can't hide anymore. Not from anyone else." In a botched block he caught her wrist in his ~mancatcher~ and the fight froze.

"Shin stop!" Ryo and Touma called to him from feet away, both afraid he'd do something if they interfered. Shu joined them after having dropped most of the soldiers.

The five on the roof breathed heavily in their static state.

"I won't let her get away with this!" Shin's mind was as blinded by his tears as his sight. "More cruel than any warlord!" She gasped as the blades tightened but still held his glare intensely. 

The tension between them mounted and none of them moved. This was what she had intended for. This was it. The last chance. 

Her left hand raced for the sword trapped in Shin's yari and she could feel the blades cut in as she let the sword shift in her hand. She thrust the hit onto Shin's chest and pulled him to her before he could react. Ryo fell to his knees and Touma stepped back, all three stunned.

Shin released the blades and dropped his weapon. She wrapped her other arm around him as well

He returned the embrace as every muscle shook his horrified mind. He found himself blind despite his wide-eyed expression but he could feel something warm on his arms. 

Somehow he realized she wasn't holding onto him anymore and when he tried to look at her she slipped from his arms. He sank to the ground with her and realized what had transpired. 

His eyes moved from her expressionless face to the hilt of her sword and back but he tried not to see any of it. "Oh, God." Fresh tears condensed and splashed on her cheek. Still no one moved. "You were right… I wasted all my time with you." He still breathed heavily against her. "Why didn't I trust you?"

"Seiji…" Touma noticed him taking in the scene for first time. 

"She sent me to keep the army at bay.. This was how she wanted it to be." He knelt by Shin and his friends followed suit. "This was her atonement to you."

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Somehow they wandered home. Shin asked to be alone as he headed for bed. In his room tears kept forming because he couldn't purge the horrible images. Through the wall of water he saw her note on the nightstand. He wasn't coherent enough to think about how it had escaped from his dresser. 

Shin:

I know you won't open this until you're ready. That should probably be after everything has happened so I won't be around. I just wanted you to know you were a wonderful friend and my emperor has forced me to do you a great disservice. Yet I hope you know how I feel. The mystery's done, so bring back the sun. Bury this hate, fill it with love.

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"Geez, that was terrible.." Touma remarked to break the silence.

"We may have lost him too.." Seiji added and Shu looked at the carpet.

"Not any more, please.." Ryo tried to think about the lines on his hands instead as a silence descended once again. 

"I miss her too." Shin stood on the stairs overlooking his startled friends. "But I think she's happy." When he smiled like that no one could resist feeling a bit lighter. That fresh happiness that comes from a renewed friendship in addition to lasting ones.


End file.
